29 Apr Marlon Hill latest to go for a county seat
A man best known for serving the community as a civilian is planning to use a different platform to continue his service.
Attorney Marlon Hill told The Miami Times on Tuesday that he plans to make a run for the County Commission District 9 seat in 2020, which will be vacated by Dennis Moss, who faces term limits.
While known as an activist who shows support for breast cancer, and Caribbean and Black issues, Hill said he only started considering public service in December 2018.
“I have not filed officially but I am preparing to be a candidate for District 9,” Hill said. A partner at Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel law firm, Hill serves on several local boards and has been president of the Caribbean Bar Association. Hill said he wants to help the district solve its affordable and workforce housing shortage and transportation issues, and plans to foster a climate for economic opportunity and growth. Hill has been a resident of the district since 1985.
“Commissioner Moss has served honorably and the district deserves to have committed, transformative leadership,” said Hill. “The voters will have opportunity to decide on who succeeds Moss.”
Moss has been serving Miami-Dade County as commissioner since 1993, making him the longest tenured member.
Pastor Mark Coats of Grace of God Baptist Church, South Bay Community Councilman Johnny Farias like Hill are looking to lead District 9.
“All of them are great individuals, and I consider them to be friends. And they have done wonderful work in the district,” said Moss.
But Moss is only supporting one candidate to continue the work he has done over the past two and half decades.
“I am 100 percent behind and supporting Kionne McGhee,” said Moss. “That is where my support is.”
State Rep. Kionne McGhee currently represents House District 117 and is the minority leader. He is a member of the Appropriations Committee and the Joint Legislative Budget Commission. A lawyer, McGhee was first elected to the House in 2012.
Moss gave a long list of reason he supports McGhee, to become a future county commissioner.
First, he said, District 9 mirrors McGhee’s district and serves the same constituents. McGhee was recently chosen as the minority leader, which is a testament of his leadership capacity, said Moss.
“Kionne interned in my office prior to going off for law school,” said Moss. “He is a bright, young, aggressive public servant and he will do extremely well.”
The Miami-Dade County Term Limit Amendment was approved in 2012, for better or worse, it has changed the political landscape. The charter-changing amendment limits commissioners to two consecutive, four-year terms.
All of the commissioners whose seats will become available in 2020 due to term limits are Black. Districts 1, 3, and 9 of the 13-member commission are up in 2020.
“I hate that we are being termed out, but it is what it is,” said Moss.
Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert III has reportedly announced his intention to run for Barbara Jordan’s District 1 seat.
“Yeah, there has been a lot of conversation around Mayor Gilbert running for that seat,” said Dwight Bullard, a former Florida senator, now political director for Florida New Majority.
Miami City Commissioner Keon Hardemon, who represents District 5 and serves as chairman, has already announced his intention to run for his counterpart’s position in the county.
Chairwoman Audrey Edmonson, who represents District 3, will be forced to vacate her seat on the County Commission in 2020, due to term limits. She will be seeking to fill Hardemon’s seat.
Edmonson may have some Miami-based competition. Attorney Christine King, who serves as president and CEO of the Martin Luther King Economic Development Corp, is looking to become an elected official. She will be looking to challenge Edmonson and whomever else joins the race.
“I am strongly considering running for office,” said King. “It would be a natural fit for me.”
She said that with her community activism she considers herself a public servant already. Now, it is just a matter of getting elected.
“We are going to continue to move this county forward,” said Moss. “I think the county will be left in good hands in 2020.”